Riddle's Surprise
by Adalheidis
Summary: Ginny never told what happened in the chamber. When an unexpected repercussion occured, she told one person and hid her secret for five years. Now at sixteen Ginny is ready to reveal her secret to the one who unwittingly brought it about.
1. The Beginning

On naught but another August morning, a sixteen year old Ginevra Molly Weasely stumbled out of her bed groggily, cursing the dickens for having to get up early. Mumbling her way to the bathroom, she exited twenty minutes later slightly rejuvenated. After making four slices of toast and grabbing two apples from the kitchen she wandered back into her bedroom, grateful that no one else had yet awoken. Locking the door quietly, she made her way into her crammed closet and shut the door. Swiftly, she ran her hand along the wall looking for a slight bump... and ah there it is. Pulling a knife out of her pocket, she stabbed the bump and swiveled the knife in a complicated combination of turns.

Finally finishing, the wall in front of her opened up to reveal a small bedroom with a tiny bathroom on the left only half-visible from a green curtain covering part of the opening. To an outside observer, the room looked like it belonged in a handmade dollhouse. There was a little wooden table in one corner with an even smaller chair beside it, both of them covered with books and old magazines. A plain worn rug warmed the floor, and a child's pictures shared the walls with a few photographs. The bed was pretty much a cot with patched grey sheets and a crazy quilt, but inside it lay a pretty little girl that seemed to brighten the rest of the rooms mean demeanor.

Ginny walked over to this girl, stole the sole pillow from beneath her head and started whacking her with it. "Time to wake up, Sunshine! If I have to get up this early, so do you!" The girl opened her eyes reluctantly and glared at her mother. "I'm sleeping." Ginny just kept smiling. "Not anymore, Victoria! Now sit up, I've got our breakfast but it's getting cold." Victoria wrinkled her nose, but obediently sat up. Ginny put the pillow behind her, and squeezed onto the cot with her daughter offering up some toast and an apple.

"We're going to meet your father soon, Tory." Ginny said, breaking the momentary silence while they crunched on their breakfast.

Victoria took her eyes off a miniature broomstick flying around the ceiling to look at Ginny. "Really, Mum? It didn't work last time..."

Ginny nodded seriously. "Time spells have never worked quite right, and trying to transport two people instead of one didn't help, Pumpkin. But, I've got my hands on a time-turner now. It's taken a while to make it turn back a decade instead of an hour... but I'm pretty positive it will work."

"Mum," Victoria said, tossing her apple casually into a tin garbage can by the bathroom. "Am I old enough yet?

"Old enough for what, Vic?" Ginny asked, while repeating her daughter's action.

"To know why Daddy's stuck in time?"

Ginny shook her head sadly. "I'm 'fraid not, baby. Maybe when you're Mommy's age."

"That old?" Victoria asked wrinkling her nose again.

Ginny gasped dramatically. "You're going to pay for that!" Thus Ginny proceeded by tickling her mercilessly. A few minutes later they both collapsed on the cot giggling, Victoria slapping her Mum's stomach to get the last hit in.

"Okay, Vic. Time to get your bath! When you get out I'll help you start school and then I'll be back in a few hours to check your work and bring you lunch. Capisce?"

>>>

"Capisce!"

Ginny exited her daughter's room and laid on her bed to think. 'Do I really want to do this? Force fatherhood on Tom? What if he just tries to make her his apprentice? I can see it now: 'Voldemort and Victoria, Dark Duo'. Then again do I really think this'll change him? But what if he denies her? I can't let him hurt her. Though with his past I doubt he'd do what his father did to him. Ack, stop being a wussy. Why am I feeling so scared? I was eleven. But I'm a big girl now, I can deal with this. I have to. Vic's already lived without a father-figure too long. If I keep this up much longer she's going to the be a girly-girl. Ick. And well, even if Tom won't accept her... back in time she'd have a real life. Won't be living in a secret closet compartment, with only a few precious summer days in the sun. Gotta thank Dumbledore for that though, however reluctant he was. If Mum and Dad knew 'bout her they'd have freaked, gone bloody ballistic. Do wish she could have a more normal life though. Who am I kidding? She's half Weasely/half He-who-must-not-be-named, she'll never be normal. Ah well. Mum's getting up, better go act the sweet, sensitive, stubborn, daughterless-daughter.'

>>>

Walking into the kitchen, Ginny rubbed her eyes as if she just woke up.

"Good morning, Ginny! Sit down, foods almost done. I wonder where your brother went..." Molly Weasely said, glancing at her youngest child.

"Hullo, Mum."

"Oh, bother! Where did I put the spatula!" Circling around, Mrs. Weasely found herself face to face with her (fake) yawning daughter holding the missing spatula. Snatching it, she started again. "Oh Ginevra, look at yourself! Just because it's summer, doesn't mean you have to be a slug you know. You've been sleeping all summer! I don't how you possibly manage to get through the school year!"

"Don't worry, Mum..." Ron said, coming from the garden with Harry and Hermione trailing behind him. "She's been doing that every summer since she started school. I wouldn't mind doing it either actually, hibernating would make a nice break from Hogwarts."

"Ron!" Hermione sputtered indignantly. "How would you get all your homework done if you spent the whole summer sleeping! Ginny still squeezes in her schoolwork and has borrowed quite a few books from me. She's just spending her summer quietly and usefully, unlike other people! Aren't you Ginny?"

Ginny turned slightly pink and averted her eyes from Hermione. "Well, I do read a lot anyways..." Seeing Hermione's suspicious glance she quickly called changed the subject. "So...Mum! What's for breakfast today, pancakes or french toast?"

"Pancakes, sausage, gravy, biscuits, and some wonderful fruit Hermione's parents sent over! I really must thank them for this Hermione! Are they all right with receiving owls or should I get Arthur to do it the muggle way?"

"You can send it by owl. I'm actually sending them a letter after breakfast so I can wait and send your note along."

"Wonderful! I'm afraid Errol is a bit past his prime..."

At that, Ron snorted and stage-whispered to Harry. "What she means is out-of-time."

Harry grinned, Hermione smiled against her will, and Molly harrumphed and started her second batch of sausages, while the trio started to serve themselves breakfast.

Ginny took the opportunity to sneak back upstairs. Now to finish her Hogwarts homework, place the last spell on the time-turner and pack her bags.

>>>

It was 3:10 PM and Ginny had just finished packing her and Victoria's things. Having placed a locking charm and silencing spell on her room a few minutes earlier, she yelled through the open closet: "Okay, Victoria. We're about ready to go. You can pick one book to bring with you. And it can't be one of the ones I borrowed."

Victoria emerged looked a little tired and a lot bored. "Mum! Let me bring more pleeeaaase! How can you pick between quidditch, dragons, and magical creatures!"

'Maybe she won't turn out a girly-girl after all...' Ginny thought, as she summoned up her best stern look. "Nope. One book, and one magazine. We don't hardly have enough room for those in your bag already. How about magical creatures? It has a chapter on dragons, so you get two in one."

"Fine! If you want to make me suffer!" Victoria replied, tossing her mother the book and throwing herself on the bed dramatically.

'Goodness that girl is worse than Ron! She must get it from Tom...' Ginny's thoughts were interrupted by a loud banging on the door.

"Ginny! Ginny! What are you doing in there! You just got two warnings from the Improper Use of Magic Office!" Hermione cut in: "Ginevra Molly Weasely! This says you breached the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery!" Harry joined the chaos: "Ginny, just let us in. Whatever it is, it's okay. I got out all right when I breached it, and so will you."

"Is that Uncle Ron, Mum?" Victoria whispered, standing a few feet away from door, looking at it curiously.

"Yes, Vic." Ginny whispered back. "Now come here! We have to go before Hermione figures out my locking charm."

Victoria obeyed quickly and Ginny used yet another spell to shrink their bags and pocketed them, before scooping Victoria up. "Okay, this will feel a bit funny and it might make you fall asleep. Ready?"

"Yes."

Ginny placed an envelope on her bed then started to flip the time-turner.

>>>

"Ron! Stop banging on the door, it's not going to help any! Try being useful for once and help me figure out what locking spell she used."

Ron stopped reluctantly and mumbled something resembling: "Sorry".

"You can help too, Harry! Leaning against the wall grinning isn't a very adult way to handle this situation." Hermione said, shocking Harry out of some dream world he entered after his half-hearted attempt at getting Ginny to open the door.

"Oy! I have an idea!" Ron said suddenly, ignoring the glare he got from Hermione for interrupting her spell-muttering. "The warnings should say what spells she used, aye?"

"Oh, Ron! You're brilliant!" Hermione said hugging him quickly before checking the letters, not noticing Ron's suddenly bright red face. Glancing at each letter she said the counter spells and opened Ginny's door, only to duck as another ministry owl flew into the room ahead of her. Seeing no sign of Ginny she walked over to the owl and grabbed the third and hopefully final letter, Ron and Harry quick to stand over her shoulders. "I don't understand this. A silencing spell, a locking spell, and a shrinking spell? And no Ginevra?"

Ron shrugged, looked rather confused. "Maybe she shrunk and silenced herself so she wouldn't have to talk to us?"

Harry snorted. "Why would she do that when she succeeded in avoiding us by staying in here all the time anyway?"

Meanwhile, Hermione had found the letter on the bed. "Ron, Harry, I think you should read this..."

>>>

Ginny immediately tucked away the time-turner as she arrived at Hogwarts gates, in 1943. Sighing, she patted her child's sleeping head and tried to heave her into a more comfortable position, dreading the many-staired walk she was about to take to the headmasters office. Hanging 'round Hogwarts just wasn't going to be the same carrying around a five year old.

>>>

Twenty minutes later, Ginny trudged up the last staircase and found herself in front of the two stone gargoyles that guarded the office. 'Damn it', she thought, realizing she had no idea what the password was. 'I hope he has some kind of visitors allowed entrance thing.' Deciding to go for it, she looked one of the gargoyles in the eye. "Um, hullo. I need to speak with the headmaster, please." Feeling rather foolish for talking to an object that was probably only charmed to move for the password, she started to turn around. 'Just have to find a teacher I guess... this probably wasn't a good idea anyway'. But then their eyes glowed for a second, and the gargoyles silently stepped aside revealing the spinning staircase.

Reaching the top, Ginny hesitated nervously. 'What if he didn't believe her? What if he threw her out in the street? The time-turner probably wouldn't work going back 'cause it wasn't invented yet.' Suddenly, noticing the open door and a rather small old man staring questioningly at her she came back to her senses. "Er, I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

Smiling at her, he responded. "That's all right, I just asked if you'd like to come in and have a seat?"

"Oh, of course, thanks." She said, walking forward and shifting Victoria around trying to find a good way to sit while delaying the inevitable conversation coming. Once comfortable, she glanced up at the headmaster trying to remember his name. 'Oh, come on I aced the headmaster quiz in HoM class... think, think, Everard? I wish. Fortescue? No. Nigellus? Didn't go that far back. Oh! Dippet! That's right. Tom talked about him, how couldn't I remember!' At Dippet's discreet cough, she looked up at him again, preparing herself for the question.

"Now, Miss... what is it?"

"It's... Virginia." She said confidently, happy that she was able to find a different name with the same nick as her usual one.

"Virginia... what?"

'Shit. Didn't bother to think of a last name.' She thought desperately, searching her head for something uncommon and old sounding. "Richards, Sir." She answered, saying a name from one of Hermione's muggle books. "Oh, and this is my sister Victoria."

"Very well, Miss Richards, may I inquire as to the purpose of your visit?"

"Of-of course, Sir. I- well about a month ago my family was attacked by dark wizards. We- we lived in Russia you see. My parents worked for the ministry there. But, their parents were English so they were taught not to do dark magic... and well, as I'm sure you know in Russia the dark magic is mixed with light and well my parents were kind of outcasts. And we were staying at a camp this summer, were my parents were trying to breed a special kind of dragon... and there was an attack. And my sister and I hid, and my brothers helped my parents but there was too many and the dragons were on their side... and it was just!"

Ginny stopped and hid her face with one hand as if she was holding back tears. After a minute, she rubbed her eyes and regained her supposedly fallen composure. "Well, they all...died. And my Grandparents always talked of Hogwarts as some sort of safehaven, and I didn't no where else to go. And I guess, well, I guess I just thought that maybe if I could finish my education here I could get a job and take care of Victoria."

Prof. Dippet frowned and considered for a while before saying: "I am very sorry for your losses, Miss Richards. You may finish your education at Hogwarts. I assume the dark wizards stole your familys assets?" At her nod of assent, he continued. "Then the school will pay for your books and equipment. The students will arrive tomorrow evening and at the opening feast you will be sorted. Are you aware of our four houses and the sorting ceremony?

"Yes. The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, right?"

"Very good. There is one more thing that we'll have to discuss before you get settled. What will we do with your sister?"

Ginny bit her lip in thought. "Well, I think she'd prefer to stay with me as much as possible. But, is there anyone that can watch her while I'm in classes?

Prof. Dippet nodded his head decidedly. "All right then, I'll arrange private quarters for you both once you're sorted. And I suppose that while you are in classes, the school nurse can attend to her. At least until a better situation can be arranged."

Ginny nodded her head in agreement.

"Okay then, you can stay in our visitors' room for tonight, and after the sorting tomorrow I'll have the head of your house show you to your private quarters. Oh, there is one more thing. What year are you in?"

"I'm entering my sixth year, Sir."

Prof. Dippet just nodded. "This way to the visitors' room then." And she followed him.

>>>

Once in the room and left alone, she smiled happily. She did it! She went back in time and made a plausible story! The first battle had been won! Squeezing her daughter in celebration, she heard a muffled: "Ger'off me, Mum!" Tossing Victoria gently on the bed she spun around. "We did it Tory! We made it back! We're going to meet your father!" Tory bounced up from the bed, smiling sneakily. "Is Daddy gonna be surprised?" Ginny smirked. "You can bet on it."


	2. The Meeting

Ginny clicked her tongue and absently forced a brush through her daughter's hair. "Owww! Mum!" Ginny snapped out of her daze. "Oh! Sorry, hun. Maybe if you'd let me pull your hair back while you sleep it wouldn't get so snarled."

Victoria shook her head in objection. "Hair thingys are too tight! And you're the one who says it looks pretty all out." Saying this, she pulled away from her mother and ran to a mirror in the corner. "I want Daddy to think I'm pretty."

"There's no doubt he'll think that, doll. I, on the other hand... will need to work at it." Ginny crossed into the bathroom and glared at herself in the mirror.

'Unfortunately, no amount of glamour charms will get rid of my freaking freckles. At least Vic wasn't cursed with them.' Applying a few make-up charms and charming her long red hair to curl down her back, she shrugged. 'Good enough, I suppose... the focus will be on Vic mostly anyway. Damn, this better have been the right choice. Bloody hell, we should be there right now.' With that thought she rushed out of the bathroom and grabbed Victoria's hand. "We're going to have to run, Tory... just hold up your robes."

>>>

Fifteen minutes later they arrived in the Entrance Hall. Panting slightly, Ginny smoothed out her dress and nodded approvingly at Vic, who was using her hand as a brush. "Okay then, let's go. You ready?"

"Yep. Are you?"

"As much as I'll ever be... all right then." Ginny opened the doors to the Great Hall smiling shyly, her hand in her daughters.

>>>

Tom Marvolo Riddle silently watched the sorting process, rather wishing the whole welcoming feast was over and done with. If it wasn't for the new first years and his title of prefect he probably would've skipped it. But, this was the time he'd have the best chance of finding followers. It wasn't widely known that when someone was sorted into their respective house the sorting hat searched through their brain, their emotions, their experiences, and by doing that it sent out a kind of aura identifying that person and where they belonged. Tom Riddle discovered it in his first year, needing to know how the sorting hat made it's decisions.

Since then he'd been training himself to do the same. He had gotten so far that now he could predict where someone would end up almost as fast. It was mostly this that made the sorting so boring, he just needed to look in the persons eyes to discover, and he had all ready mentally listed which ones would end up where, who was the most powerful, and which ones had the most interest in dark magic.

It was just as he finished his list, and lazily watched the last first year, Louis Ginningham, get sorted into Hufflepuff, when the process was disturbed by the doors leading to the Entrance Hall slowly creaking open. Swiftly his eyes swept over the four tables trying to find anyone missing. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary he quickly returned his gaze to the now open doors, there he saw a short, hour-glass shaped, red-headed girl, probably about his age, holding the hand of a tiny, dark-haired, little girl that looked oddly familiar.

Looking back up to the red-head he found her staring at him, still smiling but with a strange look in her eyes. Wondering what it was, he looked up to Prof. Dippet as he stood and addressed the staff and students. "You arrived right on time, Miss Richards." He said, giving Ginny a reassuring nod. "Students! I'd like you all to give a nice welcome to our new exchange student, Miss. Richards. Due to an unfortunate accident, her younger sister will be living here at the school as well, until she is of age to attend. Prof. Dumbledore please sort Miss. Richards into her house so we can resume with the feast!"

>>>

Ginny gulped as she stepped toward Prof. Dumbledore, wondering if she'd remain in Gryffindor for her second sorting. Letting go of Victoria's hand as she reached the stool, she sat down felt the hat flop onto her head, and waited patiently for the decision. 'She didn't really want to be placed into Hufflepuff, they were too... consistently cheerful. That just didn't seem natural. And Gryffindor might be nice 'cause it's familiar... but that'd probably make things with Tom more difficult. Honestly, being placed in Slytherin would be the easiest, but it'd feel so wrong after six years fighting with them. Perhaps Ravenclaw then... Most everyone likes them all right and most people leave them alone.'

Ginny's thoughts ceased as she felt the hat fidget then start to talk to her. "Well, well, fancy seeing you again. Did Gryffindor not suit you? You were one of my toughest to place originally, I don't think you've lost your touch. You're not as naive now, no, you've seen dark things. But you still have some of that innocence. Hmm, let's see. You have the bravery of a Gryffindor, the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, and the wit of a Ravenclaw. But you do not have a Slytherin's ambition, as would be expected... no, you have their slyness, their cunning, their 'something to hide' personality. What a puzzle you make. I won't put you in Gryffindor, you've been there once, and I never really thought it was right... but you insisted. Hmm. Perhaps, I should search some of your more recent memories. People are apt to change with reason and age."

>>>

Tom stared at the Richards girl, trying to remember her eyes so he could sort her. 'She seemed to have trouble being placed, but he couldn't tell if it was because she was powerful, weak, or the sorting hat was just enjoying a good conversation. Damn. If it wasn't for that distracting strange look, he could've sorted here then. He'd have to find out about her. Exchange students were rare, and they almost always had an 'unfortunate accident' as Dippet said. But, they had never involved a small child living at Hogwarts until now.

Switching his gaze to the little girl, he found her glancing around the Great Hall as if looking for someone. Obviously not finding the one whom she seeked, she looked back to her sister. He remained staring at her, hoping she'd glance around again and look at him so he could read her. She didn't look a lot like her older sister. At the moment the only thing that looked similar was their heart-shaped faces. Perhaps they were only half-sisters, then again if he looked up close there might be more similiarities.

Deciding that she was not going to glance around again, he turned his thoughts back to the older girl. There was something odd about his whole thing. Sudden exchange student, a little sister, a never-ending sorting, and of course the 'unfortunate accident', this might not be such a boring year after all.

>>>

Ginny resisted the urge to squirm and mentally glared at the sorting hat for taking so long. Attempting to talk to it, she thought: 'Okay, searched enough, haven't you? If you take much longer you'll get plates and goblets flung at us from all the starving students. Unless of course that's your plan, and you've just discovered my secret love for fatal food fights.' She sarcastically ended. She heard the hat chuckle good-naturedly, which just annoyed her more. 'Bloody hat.'

After waiting a few minutes more the hat straightened itself dramatically, and talked to Ginny. "All right then, I've made my choice. You're not going to like it though." Ginny glared at it some more, wondering what the devil it was about to do.

>>>

Tom watched as the hat wiggled and kind of pulled itself up on her head, causing most of the students that had started chatting to stop and look up at the exchange student. The hat finally talked out loud, but instead of its usual just yelling of the house it spoke:

"A challenging student, for me, is quite rare.

It's hard to discover, who to put where.

'Tis been a long time since I've had one like this.

One who holds qualities of each houses bliss.

So perhaps, someday I will know.

Just which house she to must go.

But for now, I'll just throw her in.

The cunning house, of Slytherin!"

Tom clapped politely with the rest of his house. This would certainly make things easier.

>>>

Ginny stood and handed the hat to Dumbledore. A little bit shocked and relieved, she took Victoria's hand which was still clapping, and walked over to the Slytherin table. 'Well, this is going to be a strange experience. A Gryffindor in Slytherin... Wonder what was with that rhyme. Damn hat really does get bored. Oh, there's Tom.' At this she found herself sitting in the only space, right across from Tom who was openly scrutinizing her. 'Well, here goes.'

"Hullo, I'm Virginia and this is Victoria. Nice to meet you."

Tom nodded his head at the introduction and politely put out his hand. "Tom. Welcome to Slytherin."

The girl shook his hand with a strong grip and, and then started to fill a plate for herself and her sister, who justsmiled at him.Not wanting the conversation to end yet he spoke. "What extra classes are you taking?"

>>>

Virginia cursed herself mentally. She really didn't think about this as much as she should have. "Um, Arithmancy and Ancient Ruins. You?"

"The same." At that neither of them continued, as the food was fast disappearing.

Ginny continued to curse herself. This should be so easy, she knows Tom. The problem was him not knowing her... and how long could she pretend Victoria was her sister? Tom'd be even madder if she waited forever. As the meal ended, she felt a hand grasp hers and help her up.

Tom spoke. "I'm a prefect so I can show you to the Slytherin common room. Dippet just told me where your private room is located."

"Thank you." Ginny swiftly followed him, secretly singing his praise when he realized how long his stride was compared to hers and Victoria's. Okay, this was it then she'd tell him tonight.

>>>

Victoria smiled happily. She was finally in the same room as her Dad! Even if he was kind of blunt and boring at the moment. She could see now why she looked so different from her mother. Looking at his stern, smile-less, face she giggled suddenly. He was going to be sooo surprised!

>>>


End file.
